ゼロミッションの使い魔 The Familiar of Zero Mission
by Sweet Kagamine Kiss
Summary: A look into a more obscure summoning ritual that extraterrestrial visitors, and so much more, appears henceforth introducing Halkeginia and its planet to a world beyond the stars. And with the arrival of the extraterrestrials, an ancient prophecy acts surrounding an ancient evil sealed away on the planet long ago by the Chozo and the Primumnatus.
1. Chapter 1

ゼロミッションの使い魔** The Familiar of Zero Mission  
**(Zero Misshon no Tsukaima)**  
**

**Disclaimer: The Familiar of Zero** (ゼロの使い魔 _Zero no Tsukaima_) and all of its known official characters, concepts, locations, etcetera are owned by Noboru Yamaguchi (light novelist), and all other writers of its anime and manga adapts. The series **Metroid**, and all known characters, concepts, locations, etcetera is owned by Nintendo. All I own are my Original Characters and this idea of a story... crossover story.

**Author's Note:** I've read so much Familiar of Zero fanfiction I've developed a likeness to the series as a whole. Researching gave me more in-depth detailing and history to the series itself, and well, it prompted me to write this up. Saito will still be in this, only Saito is basically in Metroid costume... along with a certain sword. The events of Metroid are in the middle of the "Phazon Chronicles" (more importantly, after Prime 2, but before the events of Prime 3 so Samus will get a sort of introduction in the fic). *sigh* I need to write more original stories and non-crossover fics.

* * *

In space, a location nowhere close to where the epitome of this whole story will soon begin, was lit with the firefight of missiles, space-age weapons, and overall, guns blazing. A sleek emerald green gunship was fastly evasive of its foes, and on-board weapons shoot down and destroy enemy drone ships released by the main pirate source. On board, two humanoids and one human were busy keeping status on the gunship's integrity and its armoring shields, and also keeping track on the system's mapping of the battlefield of any enemy ships.

The pilot of the gunship, kept his hands on the controls, hair-trigger ready for any more evasive flights and counter-attacks.

"Saito! Status update!" the pilot commands.

Saito Hiraga, a Japanese national (born on Venturas Island, Planet Big Blue) of seventeen years of age, scans his blue eyes across texts of data on his hologram monitor.

"Shields are at 76 percent and are holding, Sekai. But we're running low on Photon Missiles. We still have plenty of ammo for the primary guns, however."

The dark-haired teen with styled otaku hair glances to the pilot, Sekai Jiraiya, an elf alien prince (and the last of his own kind) from Planet Jiraiya in the Xia system. He was his age, with the most vibrant of violet-colored eyes, and long pointed ears. His hair was as dark as the universe's vast expanse, in large accentuating dreadlocks that accented his aristocratic looks. The main detail that depicted his species (known as Jiraiyans) was the crystal growths on the forehead as a four-pointed star. But Sekai's marking him as royal blood is the crystal wing-like grows that frame out from the sides of the four-point star.

And then there was the lone female of their three-person team, in otaku cases classified a catgirl. She was Lumine Starr, from Planet Thuban 9 of the Elistar system. Her kind was known as Felinekoh, a name crossing between feline and neko/nekomimi (due to the fact that despite being closely related to humans, they had traits of the standard cat species). A short blonde-haired beauty with large (otakus would call them anime-styled) periwinkle cat ears and cat tail, and bright blue-colored eyes with the mark of a crescent moon insignia printed on the point of her forehead (blue in color).

The three teens would be an age younger before the universally legal of-adult age, but officially they were known classified bounty hunters. And thus is the reason why they were in a space dogfight with Space Pirate forces; the pirates they have had a run-in time and again on separate missions for the Galactic Federation for the past three years (yes, they became hunters at such a young age), and today, apparently, the pirates deemed them as dangerous as their fellow friend (and sworn enemy of the Space Pirates) Samus Aran. Thus, is the reason why the three teens inside the emerald sleek gunship, were in a fight for their lives.

Just as it appears hell would descend, a giant greenish portal of energy suddenly rips a hole in space. The computer systems were already blaring, detecting the foreign energy source and displaying unknown signals.

"What the hell is that? A portal?"

"Looks like it..."

"Damn... problem! We got two freighter ships closing in on our position, with more enemy fighters already deployed. They're really going all out on us!"

Sekai looks at his monitor, and then to the energy portal. He presses a button, and his monitor makes a confirming beep.

"Hang on!" he yells.

"Sekai? What are you doing?"

He took the chance and flew into the portal, just as one of the pirates' missiles struck the back of the ship causing an explosion and more damage to the shields. But they successfully escaped. The flashing lights and blurs of energy washed quickly, soon reintroducing them to a different region of space.

"Where are we?"

"In the Kallin 3 system," Saito replied, the computers already getting a primary location on their position in the galaxy. "We're a far away from where we last were."

Sekai gazes out, and sees a large planet. The interesting thing about it was the two colored moons of red and blue.

"Sekai, ship's damaged greatly by that last attack. We need to land somewhere and quick," Lumine reported.

Sekai growls. "Damn pirates... what's the planet in the distance like?"

"Well..." Saito types away on the hologram grid, scanning the planet. Data returns to the screens, displaying new light monitors, "It's an Earth-class planet... plenty of oxygen to sustain natural life... the system seems to determine the age of Middle Age Europe. Huh... I'm detecting strange energy fluxations from the surface. They're coming from the life on the planet, which is primarily homosapien-class bioforms..."

"Humans?"

"Yeah," Saito replied.

An explosion and the gunship jolted.

"Engine two exploded. We need to land now," Lumine said.

"Right. Strap in and hang on!"

Sekai pilots the gunship closer to the planet.

=0=0=

On said planet, smoke wafts but slowly thins out, revealing a choking coughing girl with pink hair, waving said smoke from her face with a stick in her hand.

"Well, the Zero did it again," a jeering voice stated, and laughter descended again, making the pink-haired girl frown and slump in defeat.

"Please professor, let me try again!" the girl exclaimed, trying not to show her tears.

The man she spoke to, with a staff, sighed.

"I am sorry Miss Vallière, but you tried three times, this being your fourth chance," Professor Colbert tells her. "And the last... I am afraid."

"But I know I made it work. Please! Once more! Please!" she exclaims, before a soft sound is heard. It slowly grew louder, and most wondered where it was coming from, when one student looked up and shouted whilst pointing up. All eyes turn and they see a shooting star... and it was coming fast down upon them. Professor Colbert lifted his staff, waiting to defend his students, when the shooting star seemingly drifts away, but still it headed to the courtyards. With a powerful crash and a loud boom, it struck and made a crater inches from them. The heavy plume of dust made them all choke and cough.

Sekai inside the gunship held the controls, and turned the thrusters on and brakes in time, almost nearly crashing into a nearby building (which was the main dining hall of Tristian Magical Academy). Sekai maneuvers the gunship into a docking position, close to the crater they made before the engines shut off upon landing.

"Damn, that hurts," Saito grumbles.

"You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, Sekai," the Japanese teen replied.

"I'm okay as well, Sekai," Lumine mutters, "but my tail hurts."

"Scan nearby for any hostile lifeforms," Sekai commands, and Saito went to work immediately, allowing the pilot to unbuckle from his chair.

From the main doors, the Headmaster of the academy had heard the loud explosion and had rushed out to see what was going on. "What in the name of the Founder?" the old man whispers, seeing a strange... thing, one can call it... in the courtyard. It looked like a wind ship fully encased in a bubble of metal. Yes, that's as close as he could call the strange thing... where did that thing come from? Was it the source of the explosion?

"Colbert, what happened?" Headmaster Osmond questioned, as a student who was a Wind mage was helping clear the smoke and dust away.

"Miss Vallière... I guess this is the result of her summoning? I am unsure of this."

"Really?" Osmond looks to the craft.

Inside the gunship, the three teens were finishing examination of the ship's systems, when Saito spoke up.

"Lifeforms detected outside... mostly humans... I think we crash-landed in a settlement. Thus far, I have detected no hostile lifeforms, but some are fairly alien in origin."

Sekai nods. "Alright Saito. Let's gear-up, just in case, and Lumine did you deploy the emergency beacon?"

"Yup. Emergency signal deployed, and the ship's auto-repair functions are already working on damage control to the shields and the engine. We're lucky there's a Federation Outpost in this sector, but it's far from this planet... I doubt no one in the Federation KNOWS this planet has human bioforms living."

"Something we'll make a report of once our distress signal is picked up and they send a ship to us."

The three teens head off, to apply emergency gear to their suits, before they access the ship's elevator to the top. Outside, the students, adults, and yes even the school's staff had crowded to see what the thing was. The top hatch unlocks, and spins open revealing a trail of energy riding from the opening, as a platform rose up, revealing the three teens.

Now, all three wore the same full-on body spandex (the humanoids wore black, Saito's was navy). Lumine wore white shorts with side metal clasps hugging her toned hips, and a zipped dark pink vest with white collar. She wore white gloves with gold anklets and bracelets, and metal-bracer shoes of a white and silver color. She also has a gold and silver ring around the base of her sweeping cat tail. For the boys, they wore pants instead, and Saito wore metal-armored gray boots. Sekai wore a green trench coat with gray under vest, with triangular armor pads on the shoulders, and is equipped with a silver and gray metal belt, forest green metal gauntlets and boots (eerily resembling Samus's armor boots). Saito wore a jacket-styled coat of blue and white colors, and gray gloves with gold bracelets. On his ears were white rounded guards, the left piece attached with a triangular antennae sticking out like a rabbit's ear.

As they leap acrobatically to the ground, each were equipped with emergency stun pistols (that double as plasma whips), with Saito having what looks like a long sword positioned on his back at an angle by unknown means, and with Sekai, he had an aged old green wood short staff clipped to his belt with the hardened gnarled root of wood on the top crafted after the head of the Chozo race. The gnarled root of wood was also grown around a raw crystal that doubled as eyes in the cut-outs.

"Saito, scan the surroundings."

Saito brought his hand to the antennae-equipped ear guard, and in a flash of materializing lights, formed a solid triangular-shaped half-face dark blue visor.

"It's an elf!" they heard one of the humans cry in... Was that an abject of horror?

"Well, well, well... I didn't believe it could happen, but it has. We're back in my home world, partner," spoke a cheer-filled male voice.

Saito stopped in mid-scan of a small dragon-like lizard creature (Flame), and gazed to the handle of his trademark weapon used in plenty of bounty hunts. The sword of magical creation (having been discovered as such by Sekai during a market skive three years ago, as an old blade ready to fall apart before being repaired and reinforced with new magicks of Sekai's bloodline) chuckles amusingly to itself.

"Wait, you know where we are specifically, Derf?"

"Yup. If my memory serves right, this is Halkeginia. The planet's name is... Arutei Maria... a portmanteau of the main countries of the central continent, when you divide and mix the names."

"... Did you just make that up?"

"Yup!" The sword, also known by his full name Derflinger, cheerfully states. "Besides, you can't really call this Earth, since the REAL planet has only one moon back in the Milky Way system."

"True, so why did they scream elf?" Saito questions the sentient weapon.

"That's because on this planet, the elves and humans are two separate species. Both are humanoids, yes, but through old histories concerning this planet's foundation, are at odds, and primarily the humans of this planet hate the elves for stealing some land of great prosperity or something equally important. I don't really know much, since I find needless hatred of one race to be incredibly stupid. And also, this planet speaks a form of Galactic Basic with French and Old Europe terms and accents, so switch to it."

"Elf! It's coming close!" the same voice shouted again, as Sekai walked close to Saito. Professor Colbert and Headmaster Osmond prepared defensive magic, but Sekai was faster, feeling the magic in the air. With a wave of his Chozo Staff, he nullified the magic in the general area. The mages felt whatever magic they tried to use suddenly vanish.

The glowing white eyes of the green short staff Sekai suddenly wielded slowly pulsated.

"Boy, I am so glad I draw on your bloodline magicks, Prince," Derf says with a sigh of relief.

"What's going on? I can't feel my spells produce," Colbert whispered, shocked.

"It's a simple nullifying field. Useful for innate origin of magical fields, such as this world seems to produce. It's also useful to knock out surveillance fields and tracking/monitoring equipment by enemy forces." Sekai sheathes the staff back at his waist in its leather holder, "Now, before anything else happens... we are from outer space and we crash-landed here on this planet after escaping a Space Pirate assault through a large lime green blue portal of magical energy. We thought we were going to die when said magical portal appeared and I took the gamble and drove right into it, allowing us to escape, but not without a last attack that crippled one of the engines on my gunship behind me and my two partners here."

Saito then speaks up, also changing to the planet's basic language; they would hear him speak with a strange accent to his words instead of gibberish like before.

"After I determined the planet was safe to go to, we made an emergency landing here. We tried to avoid anything important and human settlements, but Sekai's ship was damaged by the last missile that crippled the main engines. Apparently, my sword here, Derf, is from this planet..."

"True that. I do remember it like it was yesterday. I was as usual bugging the merchant in the Smith & Weapons Shop, and also preventing the old shrewd from scamming people with fake weapons and crafts made of easily-breakable alloys and alchemy-transmuted pyrite."

Derf would shake his head if he had one.

"Then he finally threw me out into the trash. I ended up stolen by bandits before being lost in some deep valley crevice in Germania. Next thing I knew, aliens from some third world planet grabbed me and took me off the planet with some other junk they stole or salvaged... man, I have been in that market shop for a long time until I met my partner here when they walked through those flaps on that sand moon."

Osmond held his hand up. "Stop... If what I heard was not horse radish..." Osmond wanted to say a swear word, but he couldn't, not in front of the students, "are you saying you came from the stars themselves?"

"In a way, yes... I'm Sekai Jiraiya, from Planet Jiraiya. This is my girlfriend Lumine Starr, from Planet Thuban 9. And this is Saito Hiraga from Planet Big Blue. We're aliens in a sense, although technically we're termed as humanoids, while Saito's a full human of Japanese nationality. Lumine's considered a classic catgirl, while I'm the last of my species and of royalty. Saito however comes from a military family, though he's a bounty hunter like we."

"Yeah... and people like to chatter about us from time to time... the catgirl, the elvin prince, and a human from a military-raised family who wields a magical spirit blade of power." Saito dismissed his visor, revealing his whole face to the shocked and stunned masses once again.

"I... see," Osmond muttered. While some would like to believe one day the stars could be reached, he never knew it already happened, and that life existed beyond their world. Yes, it can be much of a cultural shock.

"Hold on," Colbert spoke up, "your story... if it's believable... you said a portal of magic appeared in front of you people and you decide to jump through?"

"Yeah," Sekai replies with a shrug of his shoulders.

"They were too busy, but I did heard the chant of a girl's voice," spoke Derflinger, "I didn't bring it up until now because Sekai, Saito, and Lumine were too busy trying to stay alive from an amassed Space Pirate force seeking to kill us brutally. The chant was about seeking her heart's passion or something, and seeking the familiar..."

The group of mages all turns eyes to the girl with pink hair. Louise blinks.

"Yeah... the portal that appeared when I was ready to risk a hyper space warp, even though the core drive was damaged in the attack, was a godsend. As my species are capable of detecting all types of magical energy in the universe, I was however varying of such an anomaly and the risks it held in case the situation turned worse. I was going to explore such circumstances that luckily allowed us to escape to safety."

Louise felt the eyes of the three people, one an elf, looking at her. "I... I was trying the Spring Summoning Ritual to summon my familiar... I thought I had failed four times..."

"Well... I did catch a sample of the magical field before attempting the jump."

He lifts his left gauntlet up before accessing his grid, and types away on it. Another light window emerges in a flash, and data scrolls in unintelligible patterns and in a language no one on Halkeginia will ever understand for centuries to come. It makes a green light beep and Sekai gazes intently on Louise now.

"Yup. The signal matches you. You're the one who generated that magic portal. So, in a way, I have to thank you for saving our asses from certain death." He politely bows by the waist, left arm tucked regally across his chest. The girl with the cat ears and tail smiles, and waves in thanks, while the boy with the talking sword just gives a lazy wave with a warm handsome-looking smile...

For some reason, Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière felt as if life as she knew it was forever changed.

She had no idea what kind of Pandora's Box she had just opened on Halkeginia...

* * *

**And there you have it. I'm going to expand more on this on a later date. I just had to get this all written down before the idea would get lost on me and then die in the shadows of my brain. In all honesty, I'm probably the first who thought to use Metroid as a cross. I've seen Fallout, Mass Effect, and Halo used, but never Metroid. So, if no one is going to try this type, I will. Hopefully, now that I have, I want to see others who enjoy Familiar of Zero to try their own hand at this type of crossover.**

**Maybe Ridley being summoned by Louise at the brink of being killed (again) by Samus (yet again)...**

**Well, if you want to, review and tell me what you thought of this. EDITED for some character location changes/renames.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

ゼロミッションの使い魔 **The Familiar of Zero Mission  
**(Zero Misshon no Tsukaima)

**Disclaimer: The Familiar of Zero** (ゼロの使い魔 _Zero no Tsukaima_) and all of its known official characters, concepts, locations, etcetera are owned by Noboru Yamaguchi (light novelist), and all other writers of its anime and manga adapts. The series **Metroid**, and all known characters, concepts, locations, etcetera is owned by Nintendo. All I own are my Original Characters and this idea of a story... crossover story.

**Author's Note:** The next chapter is up. I kind of have gotten into a hefty fight with writer's block. Yes... it sucks... and when distracted by life and partly on Tumblr... well, anyway I got this chapter up and going. We'll have more "culture shocks" for everybody on Halkeginia.

* * *

Many of the nobles in the crowd were still scared, since it's been practically drilled and ingrained to their minds elves were the sign of evil to their views; demons, unholy abominations, monsters who wish to subjugate the human race. Unfortunately, while Sekai CAN be classified an elf, he's an ALIEN elf. Strange, isn't it? But seeing Sekai use some... spell... that actually and forcibly "destroyed" their magic spells, it only intensified their views of elf hatred and prejudice. Especially since elves were said to be able to use something called Ancient Magic.

"You know, my friend only placed that magic null field simply because he felt threatened by the sudden build of magic particles," Saito tells the adults. He then turns to him. "Sekai, dispel it; I'm sure we can properly defend ourselves if they should attack. Don't forget, we're on a foreign planet."

Sekai nodded, simply crossing his arms as his glowing Chozo Staff's aura fades. The foreign feeling of euphoric weight in the surroundings disappeared. The two elder males in the group among the short group of adults and their students, had one word to the spell the... visitor... used: Void.

Too bad they were coming to the wrong conclusions.

Lumine nudges her boyfriend. "Sekai, I'm checking the damages to the ship's outer hulls."

"Sure. I'll come with you," Sekai replies to Lumine, as the couple return to the gunship, leaving Saito and Derf with the humans.

"Well, that simply leaves us to deal with the summoning ritual that was used. So, what's your name, miss?" Saito politely asks the pink-haired girl.

She stared, unsure what to say. She was vocal about the summoning ritual, but seeing that it had apparently worked (although not to the manner the ritual has been done for many centuries) she was now shy in answering.

Osmond, sensing her plight, answers for the girl. "Her name's Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière..."

Saito blinks. "Huh... long name. Not that I haven't heard long names before."

"Like that corrupt political guy from Planet Tsebnash," Derf says with a chuckle.

Planet Tsebnash was the fifth planet in the Calorhatt system, and the mentioned corrupt political guy with about SEVEN different words in his full name was from the planet's colony known as Donian.

Colbert stares at Saito's weapon strapped to his back, and was amazed. Osmond himself was also intrigued by the blade.

"I never heard of a talking sword before," Colbert confessed.

Saito draws his weapon forth in a swift manner.

"Yeah. I've had him for a long time now. We're partners in my profession as a bounty hunter. He's helped me through plenty of tough situations, and is able to learn a lot from his alien surroundings."

"True. On this planet, I had an old name that not many know of. In short, my full runic name is Derflinger the Devourer of Magi, and personally to Saito, the Blade of Justice."

Osmond gasped. "Devourer of Magic?"

"Yeah. Derf here can deflect and absorb magical attacks and spells, and I can even utilize absorbed magic in many of my attacks. And ever since he's been revitalized and refurbished by Sekai's bloodline magic, he's even stronger than he once was."

"And," Derf adds, "Before I became Saito's trusted partner, I was once the very blade wielded by your Founder's familiar. Being revitalized allowed me to remember old memories once lost to me in age."

This shocking piece of information stunned many. This... human (many of the more stubborn nobles who preach nobility like it was oxygen still sought him as a plebian) from outer space, wields the weapon that was the Founder Brimir's familiar's own?

"We're getting a bit off-track here. I need to know what I and my friends can do about the summoning portal that allowed us to escape to relative safety." He once again casts his eyes on Louise's own.

"Quite simple partner... become her familiar," Derf stated.

Saito stabs Derf into the ground. The glimmering deadly weapon, flowing with the magicks of what first created him, and strengthened by the revitalization refining of Sekai's magic, is somehow capable of "staring". Saito knew the sword, if Derf had eyes, would be looking at him intently.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Well, considering the fact Sekai's magical and his magicks will no doubt fight violently against the magic of this planet, it's no good. Plus as a bonded mate to Lumine, such things are more precious and powerful than normal magic itself. So, that leaves you. Besides, think of it like a contract whenever you and the gang accept a clause by the Galactic Federation. And don't worry... we'll be able to cross those bridges in time when the ship's fixed and the secure hailing frequency is detected by the outpost in this sector of the galaxy."

Saito crossed his arms, staring at the talking blade.

"I don't know. I think you forgot to put into consideration the runes Sekai tattooed on me that helps shield me in times of mortal peril."

Derf if he had facial expressions would be doing the classic anime sweatdrop. Still, one can probably still see this happening.

"Ahh, right. I did kind of forget about that."

Saito chuckles amusingly to himself, and to Derf's still sometimes forgetful mind. "Eh, what the hell, then... I'll accept the contract. I got nothing better to do until the Federation shows up."

Osmond and Colbert blinked, though Colbert was sputtering. Never have both men ever heard of such a thing. So... blasé in attitude...

"Hey, it's not like I'll be fighting hostile alien lifeforms or supernatural beings of destruction," he says with a shrug of his shoulders.

Famous last words...

"Ha," Derf barks.

"Hey, when's the last time something horrible happened accepting a contract, Derf?"

"Princess Hermione of Planet Sylph in the Isshu region of space," was the immediately response.

Saito looked away, blushing. "You wouldn't bring that up again..."

"Hey, it was hilarious! You were being chased by not only the royal family military after Hermione seduced you in her bedroom, but a bunch of loli school girls from the local town wanted to gang rape you," he says, shaking with laughter.

The Japanese teen grabs Derf and promptly shuts him up by sheathing him on his back. His head turns towards the direction of snickering with an etched glare, and Sekai hiding further behind the gunship code-named "Dragon Buster".

"Stupid sword... well, what do I have to do, sign some paper contract or something?"

Derf pops himself up the sheath. "In a sense... it does require _sealing the deal_, if ya know what I mean."

"I'm not having sex with a girl who looks to be thirteen years old," he retorts to the talking spirit blade.

Derf laughs loudly, much to the blushing ire of Louise, who looked equally flustered by the remark.

"Yeah... I didn't mean it in that way, Saito. If I remember... it's sealed by a kiss."

"You're kidding?"

Derf wished he could have a magical projection. Well, could be something to throw Sekai's way later. "Nope. Yes, I know that sounds so cliché but that's how their things work here regarding familiar contracts. Now let her kiss you."

Saito grunts, but stares at Louise.

"Well?"

Louise felt eyes on her, but she steeled herself and grips her wand tighter.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; grant your blessings upon this humble being, and make him my familiar." She uses her wand and taps him on the forehead, making Saito blink. And with that, she leans up close, tip-toes stance, just to plant the kiss on his lips.

"First a princess, and now a loli, Saito. What next? A queen?"

They heard the laughs of the elf, and then the sound of a hand descending upon the back of a skull.

"Ow!"

"Serves him right," Saito muttered with a smirk. He then glances at Louise. "Well, if this whole thing's done with, I'm going to check on my friends... and Derf, no perverted remarks."

"Wasn't thinking about it, partner," was the reply from the talking blade.

In a hiss of sound, Saito heard it and looks down to seeing lights melting into existence on his gold bracelet on his dominate sword hand. They were quickly burning runes into it. Outside, he was calm, however, mentally; he was in a slight bit of pain. Foreign magic was trying to brand him with compulsion psi. And because of this alien intrusion, Sekai's protective runes reacted and countered against it. The result was the runes being branded elsewhere not remotely connected to his body in a physical and permanent manner. His gold band now had (in other words) stylish marks. Then the pain was over, and his glowing protection runes carved into the upper left part of his torso and right upper arm lost their glow (no one saw them while he was wearing the suit however).

_The runes... they have an innate power source... but I also felt my runes flare up in deviance against these... what the hell had I gotten myself into this time?_

Colbert examined the runes, surprised by the markings as he writes them down on his papers.

"Well... I guess this ceremony's finally over," he announces, stuffing the papers away. The runes Colbert saw nerved him for some reason, and he planned to reference them in the library later. "Let's go and return to class."

"I'm hungry." Saito turns around and walks away from the group of humans and their miscellaneous army of strange creatures and other life forms.

"I'm sure Lumine has some leftovers in the fridge from last night, Saito," reported Derf.

"Yeah... super cheesy hamburger helper spiced with Cookies-brand spice."

Derf laughs at his partner's antics. "You always enjoyed when she makes that."

"Duh," was the reply followed by a hearty laugh.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Saito turns his head, and stares down Louise.

"I'm getting some food. Haven't eaten in awhile, girl... Just return to class and whatnot. You know where we'll be."

And he runs to the ship, leaps into a somersault, lands on the top of the hull and walks towards the elevator hatch. It opens, and in he sinks into the gunship's interior. Outside, Sekai and Lumine were still doing diagnostic runs on the ship with portable computers. Inside the ship, Sekai had walked to the front cockpit's windows, and saw the pinkette having a small argument with the middle-aged man who found the runes on his gold bracelet interesting before he chastised her, and all of them but the pinkette floated away. Said pink-haired girl had to walk briskly to catch up. The older gentlemen left the courtyard and returned to the building, and the others he assumed were the staff left to return to work. Some of them stared at the Dragon Buster for awhile longer before eventually leaving.

"So they can fly..."

"Magical levitation... not similar to bukujutsu, of course," Derf said.

"So you sensed them using magic?"

"Yeah. Attuned to that of the very winds themselves... although, I doubt it's real flight to them; merely simple levitation tricks."

Saito smiled, before he saw one of the maids, a busty dark-haired young lady possibly his age (or older) was the last to leave.

"Hmm, I wonder what they'd think if they saw Sekai use bukujutsu to fly?"

Derf sniggered. "Or you?"

He smiled. Not many people could learn the secrets of bukujutsu. And even for those who do, take years to master it. He himself was only a novice at best, and only used it for quick directional changes while in heated battles (mainly with the pirates or against bounties).

"Yeah... cultural shock, indeed..."

And he heads towards the kitchens of the gunship. He just hoped no glass wear wasn't broken... he knew though they would be replacing some glass wears with new ones eventually.

=0=0=

Saito yawns as his alarm clock buzzes its soft annoying tone, prompting the teen to sleepily grope about until he feels the device, and then silences it with a firm smack on the top of the clock. With another yawn he opens his eyes. Gazing outside his window, he presses a button and they lose their darkened look, revealing a beautiful landscape with a building close-by, and brilliant morning skies.

"Oh right..."

He yawns a third time. It came to him now; they barely escaped a Space Pirate barrage via a magical portal that transported them to an alien Earth-class planet (Derf affectionately named Arutei Maria) that had human life forms whom can use a similar but vastly different essence of magic like Sekai's. Twenty minutes later, he's had a nice clean shower, had gotten dressed in civilian-type clothing, made sure to place his gold bracelets on (because he had a feeling the runes meant something so he should keep them "visible" in case the man comes to him again), and then left the ship. Sekai and Lumine could find him when they wake up.

The elevator rises out into the open morning air, fresh air hitting his lungs with a kick. The air smelt so good. Almost as good as the tropical salt winds of his home island on Planet Big Blue.

"It's rare we go to planets with as fresh a source of oxygen like here, eh partner?"

"That's true, Derf," he responds to the sword strapped to his back.

He wanted to see if the place had any food. He was feeling peckish on acquiring foods from another planet's society. As the teenager jumps down to the ground, and begins his trek towards the academy elsewhere a certain pink-haired girl was awakening herself.

"Hey partner?"

"Yeah?" Saito spoke up.

Derf gave an imaginary grin. "Card games in space."

Saito snorted in amusement at the private joke.

Memories assaulted her sleepy mind, the strange dream she had last night before she finally woken up fully. She had summoned a familiar, in a most unorthodox manner. The person wielded a magical talking sword that claimed to be from their country, and was in the company of a plebian, a girl with cat traits, and an elf. And they came from the clouds in a metal dragon-looking monster. She thought it was a dream, at first, as she gets dressed. Feelings of disappointment and shame welled up in her heart, as the memory of jeers and taunts by her peers bombard her. And then she looks out the window, and caught a glimpse of the same plebian from her "dreams", leaving the metal dragon monster thing. Then... she realized it was all true! She hurried up her haste before leaving her room in a flurry... and returns for her wand seconds after. NOW she bolted out of the bedroom. She had to find that boy she apparently now has as her familiar... the rude dog, not being there all of the rest of yesterday...

Saito was wandering the hallways of Tristian Academy. As far as Saito saw, no one was truly awake yet. Although he did see a giant mole-like monster from earlier making burrows through the courtyard on his trek to the elegant building. "I should check out the various creatures here with the scanner, later. Some of them could very well be creatures from other planets."

"Could be. Although I thought I had sensed the air vibrations of a Bugbear yesterday."

Saito glances side to side, looking at various decoration hung on the walls.

"A Bugbear, huh?" Summoning his visor, he accesses his information database and searched up Bugbear.

Data from last known scans filters onto his vision.

* * *

**Morphology:** Bugbear

Bugbears are an unknown alien species discovered in the fringes of the Dasha Region twelve years ago by excavators mining for minerals. Mainly hostile, they are fiercely territorial of their hives. They attack primarily with kinetic energy-type shots fired from their large pupil, and use the same kinetic energy that allows them to levitate in the air. While resembling the classic horror movie-type giant floating eyeball, most of its soft tissue body is shielded by a clear carapace-type armoring. An internal hard tissue shields the inner organs of the Bugbear from most harm and can survive extreme hot and cold temperatures. A fully-evolved Bugbear has four bat-shaped wings (the top pair larger than the shorter bottom pair), and the outer carapace thickens whilst gains a brownish goldenrod coloring.

* * *

Dismissing data, and visor, Saito stops just in time. He nearly bumped into the maid he saw from yesterday.

"Oh, good morning miss," Saito politely speaks.

The maid blushed. "Oh... good morning."

"Say, you wouldn't know when the kitchens are in this place, right? I'm feeling peckish."

The young woman appeared to be his age. She certainly looked attractive. Siesta was blushing, although confused by the weird slang the commoner from the skies used. And she was very intrigued by the strange clothes that the boy wore. She never saw such clothing before...

"Yes, I know where the kitchens are. Please follow me."

Saito walked alongside Siesta as they disappear around a nearby corner, just as Louise ran past from behind Saito's previous position, heading outside to look for her familiar.

"So, what kind of clothing are you wearing?"

"Typical teenage clothing of today," was his reply.

The clothing Saito was wearing was a pair of black pants and red belt, sneaker, buttoned shirt, and worn over the long sleeves was a black and gray dual-colored t-shirt with a black X mark over the front. Add the accessories of his ear guards, the gold bracelets, and a string belt hung askew over the left hip that has nine red orbs.

"Typical teenage clothing of today? You should see him when they go clubbing on their off days."

Of course, don't forget our favorite talking magical sword Derf strapped to his back.

"Clubbing? What's that?"

Saito grins. "Well..."

Outside, Louise was looking around, but she didn't see her familiar anywhere. And she was afraid to go near the metal dragon monster thing because it has the elf inside it.

"Where is that dog at?" she growls to herself. She blinks. Spinning around on her heel she returns back to the academy. Maybe her familiar is wandering the halls?

"Really? It's that fun?"

"Sometimes. There are some people out there who enjoy causing trouble... ahh, I remember the last time some Alienese guys were too drunk for their own good. One of them groped my ass and I roundhouse kicked the guy in the face. Then the other two guys attacked me. And then Sekai joined in... We got booted out of the Ring Man Club for causing a disturbance and some property damage."

"Ahh, I wish I could have gone, but most places don't allow weapons inside... even if they are magically aware," Derf says with a sigh.

Siesta was amazed. "Wow... sounds horrible what happened."

"Nah. It was all cool."

They arrived at the kitchens, where a couple of workers were awake and were making what Saito thought was a grand feast than simple breakfast.

"So, what would you want for breakfast? I can make you a plate."

"No, it's okay. You don't need to serve me. I can cook for myself. I just need to know where you keep all the ingredients and stuff."

Siesta blushed a bit. "Oh, well, okay then. Come."

"Hey partner... she's friendly, eh?"

Saito just smiles.

Eventually the kitchen is filled with the usual staff, but many of them were watching the stranger that arrived in that metal dragon making breakfast for himself. This was the site that Louise stumbled upon when she first ran past, only to double back seeing her familiar with that magic sword he carried. He was at the kitchens, working like a plebian would for nobles like her.

"Wow, you are a wonderful cook," one of the workers comment.

"Nah... It's just something I enjoy doing whenever I and my friends have the chance for rest and relaxation. Although I learned most of my culinary skills from my mother..."

"I wonder how your fish is," Derf spoke up, as Saito walks to a nearby table and sits down to dig in.

"Oh, you mean Klaus? Huh, I wonder how he is right now..."

=0=0=

Inside the fish tank at the Hiraga Household, a fat-looking whiskered catfish with the colors of electric blue and a fusion of crimson and grays around the fin areas, lets out a sigh. He's somehow able to hold a deck of small waterproof Poker cards with said large frontal fins like hands and was playing a game of card toss into one of Saito's old baseball caps from his childhood. The cards though were waterproof, and mostly floated to the top of the large aquarium.

"I am bored," he moans with a Galactic Russian accent.

=0=0=

"Who is... clause?"

"Klaus... And he's my talking pet alien catfish with the brain of former 2050s Galactic Olympics Russian Gold Medalist, Klaus Heissler. He's been around for awhile and he claims he was a survivor of some dirty scientists who worked for some group outside the Galactic Federation on human and alien biofusion transplants. I never looked it up because it would attract unwanted attention. My father bought him at a pet store when I was five and he's just merged as part of my family. He likes to swear a lot in Russian, though."

He digs into his food at this moment, and savors his pancakes with chili pepper scrambled eggs, some slices of spare ham he pan-fried into Canadian bacon, and for a drink a tall glass of cold milk. Siesta didn't understand most of what Saito said, and she felt she shouldn't understand more.

"You! There you are!" a voice shouts and in storms the pinkette from yesterday.

"Oh... it's you... uh..."

"Her name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière," Derf reminds Saito.

"Right, right. Louise, good morning."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"... I'm eating?"

She glares at Saito. And Saito merely stares back at her.

"You weren't there yesterday after I summoned you."

"You actually summoned me and my friends out from space... Hmm, I wonder when Sekai and Lumine will awaken. Well, I'm my own person so it's not like I need to follow you. You look like you can take care of yourself. Besides, I DID have some things to take care of inside the gunship while I ate."

Some of the staff glance left and right, backing off and returning to work. Siesta felt the burning heat coming from the pinkette's glare piercing the dark-haired boy, and shies away to resume her maid duties.

"You are my familiar, and you're supposed to obey me!" she tells him.

"Obey? Well, I do admit I accepted the contract only because Derf persuaded me to... but like I said I'm my own person. I don't need to be like some sort of loyal puppet to you. I'm a human being... and one who can kick ass if I need to."

He finished his breakfast, before standing up and re-strapping Derf to his back.

"Since its morning, you can show me around this place and such. I do need to learn more about this place and its history."

And this is how Louise's morning was starting: her commoner familiar was being disobedient.

"Just... just follow me you..." She stomps off in a huff, questioning why she had such a disobedient familiar.

Saito followed at a short distance.

"Sheesh... she's such a tsundere..."

"How can you tell?" Derf questioned.

"Trust me... reading mangas on free times, I understand the term and can see the symptoms. Either that or she's PMSing."

Derf scoffs.

* * *

**And, we're getting off the deck. I've finally finished this. We're slowly going to introduce similar elements as seen in most FOZ fics... with a more science fiction twist. My Saito is not as... obedient as he is in canon. And yes... I did do those cameos... and jokes... something to get through. Anyway, I've been having some writer's block so it was a bit hard to finish this chapter. Glad I got through this okay enough. I need to work some of my other stories, however. They need to get dusted...**

**And also... until I can get this settled, my Tumblr Account "blackcrystalwisher" was suspended. It's probably because of my few hentai posts I reblogged from friends. Shoulda clicked the NSFW ticker on... but they are usually buried under SFW stuff. If they don't revive me I'm making a new account and taking my FFN name as my tumblr name.**


	3. Chapter 3

ゼロミッションの使い魔 **The Familiar of Zero Mission  
**(Zero Misshon no Tsukaima)

**Disclaimer: The Familiar of Zero** (ゼロの使い魔 _Zero no Tsukaima_) and all of its known official characters, concepts, locations, etcetera are owned by Noboru Yamaguchi (light novelist), and all other writers of its anime and manga adapts. The series **Metroid**, and all known characters, concepts, locations, etcetera is owned by Nintendo. All I own are my Original Characters and this idea of a story... crossover story.

* * *

The Galactic Federation Outpost in the Kallin 3 system, known as the GFS KAITO-3, orbited the planet of Marisu. Marisu was a foreign planetary body, but it was a designated Federation-league planet. The KAITO-3 was built and sent into space to orbit and designate the Kallin 3 space region. There were few planets in Kallin 3 that were life hospitable, and the few that are explored yield hostile alien life forms, or were simply gas planets. There were three planets and four moons in all of Kallin 3 that are life sustaining (excluding the moons of course; they were colony-class), while two of the four moons were designated mining fields for expensive alien minerals and metals. At this moment in time, we take you to the captain quarters of KAITO-3. An aged man with graying yellow hair was at his desk writing up the daily reports, as life resumed normal duties each and every day on KAITO-3. He was Admiral Arashi Kazama, a human war veteran of Japanese nationality. He was also an old friend of Admiral Dane (the captain of the GFS Olympus).

Suddenly his intercom buzzed.

_"Admiral Kazama, sir."_

"Yes?" he responds.

_"We just detected a hailing frequency at co-ordinance 236.8673, sir."_

Arashi blinks. He vaguely remembered those co-ordinance numbers. There was a moon orbiting a nearby planet that was colony-class, but thus far no plans to build a moon colony were scheduled. At least not yet, anyway... the sudden calling of a hailing frequency beacon from that region of space confused him.

"What's the situation, soldier?"

_"We identified the marker of the transmission. It's a common SOS, sir. It's coming from the registered gunship Dragon Buster, operated by Saito Hiraga, Lumine Starr, and Sekai Jiraiya... three known bounty hunters, and said to be the youngest next to Samus Aran."_

"Hiraga, huh? I know a man by Fugaku Hiraga... it must be his son... no coincidence. Why are they sending an SOS?"

_"There was a request for help. The SOS type is emergency planetary landing due to an event that left them crippled. That is all, sir."_

"Well, I'll be out of my office and down at the deck soon. Right now, alert the KAITO-3. We are leaving the planet space and heading to the SOS signal. We are going to offer help to the stranded. Have all on-board Federation Marines to be on immediate stand-by."

_"Yes, sir!"_

The com clicks off, and Arashi leans back into his seat.

"Looks like your son's in a spot of trouble Fugaku," he murmurs to himself, before glancing at a framed photo. It was a slightly younger version of himself with Fugaku Hiraga, and in the photo, his friend's son, three year old Saito Hiraga.

=0=0=

Back on Arutei Maria (personally, the planet could use a better name), Saito stood in the corner, leaning against the wall and arms crossed over his torso. The Academy's dining hall was the tallest and center most building on the whole premises. He's seen some of the hallways, and the kitchens seemed smaller compared to this room. Inside, three extremely long tables were arranged in a parallel. And each one could very well seat one hundred people or more. The table at which Louise and all the second years sat was the middle table. Saito immediately determined the right positions for each of the students by their cloaks alone. Viewed from the entrance, everyone sitting on the left-hand table looked a little older and wore purple cloaks. The students sitting on the right-hand table wore brown cloaks. Every single mage on the school grounds, students and teachers alike, gathered here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On an upper level, he could see teachers enjoying pleasant chatter. All the tables were magnificently decorated. Numerous candles, bunches of flowers, baskets full of fruit. Breads, meats, and everything in-between; some foods he could identify from memory, while others were somewhat foreign to him. There was enough food in this hall alone to feed a whole army. After some morning prayer they all spoke harmoniously they dug into their offered foods. Saito was mostly ignored for the time being and it suited him fine. The hall, Aviss Dining Hall, was something that no "commoner" would ever step into, and Louise told him he should be "considered lucky". And during the trek to the dining hall, Louise had told him a brief history about the Tristian Academy of Magic, and how nobles like herself learn about magic and train to become powerful.

_"Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles."_

In her words, he heard it as "Those with magic have power in name while those who don't are our servants." These "nobles" were enjoying a meal fit for royalty, eating many fancy-looking foods while some of them greedily enjoy the food served to them by the kitchen and staff. The only difference between this scene and from an old memory on Planet Sylph was that Princess Hermione's family did not belittle their hired staff. Some of these people did, and he had no doubt many of these nobles would take advantage of those of "lesser status". So he felt a bit offended by this sight and by the words spoken earlier by Louise, but said nothing to draw attention to him. Being a bounty hunter, one tends to be more vary of his or her surroundings, especially since he and his friends are foreign visitors from space (and Derf was in a sense back home).

At this moment, during the morning meal, music was playing, but the only person who heard this was Saito. His ear guards were advanced pieces of technology, and it also included an in-built iPod music system. He was playing some songs off his Mix System 3 file (a collection of old songs from before the creation of the GF). That, and Saito was a bit of a fan of Psykosonik. Suddenly a beeping interrupts his tranquil-like state of enjoying music, and he sighs audibly, turning off his sounds. Hand reaching up, he twists the rabbit antennae about until it became his mic set. His visor forms over his eyes as he holds the hand still to his side of the ear piece.

"Saito here... you finally woke up, Sekai?"

_"Yeah I did. Sorry if we kept you up half the night."_

"Please. I am used to you and Lumine being quite vocal. We practically live together on-board the ship. So, anything pop up or is this just a morning call?"

_"There was something that appeared on the scans we set last night. There's an old signal close by our location. It's the old signal of one Leon Schindler."_

"Leon Schindler? The corrupt bounty hunter who disappeared seven years ago? Are you sure?"

There was an edge of tension in Saito's voice. Anybody who was a bounty hunter knew who Leon Schindler was, and just how twisted and greedy he would be. He would even sell out his own friends if it was worth the price tag. Rumor has it Leon once tried to double cross Samus Aran during a war affront battle with the pirates, long before the woman's fabled trek into Planet Zebes and her successful hunt against the evil forces, the Metroids they had cloned, and her subsequent escape after an incident temporarily left her stranded (until she escaped on a stolen Space Pirate ship whilst blowing up one of their mother ships).

_"Yeah. Saito, we're going to be busy scanning the planet more as well as working on the ship. You're the only free person to take this job right now. Seek out the signal's location and investigate. And make sure to report back once you do. And do be careful... Schindler is as twisted as the pirates when it comes to greed and power. No telling what kind of tech he may have stolen during his seven year disappearance."_

"Roger that, Sekai... returning to the ship to suit up."

He disconnects the call and twists the antennae back into its upright slanted position, and watches as map data was downloaded into the memory banks. The pinpoint emerged on the screen. Memorizing the map, he dismissed the visor. He noticed it was deafly quiet and all eyes were on him.

"So, partner, what's going on?" Derf breaks the silence.

"Leon Schindler's ship signal was detected."

"Leon Schindler?" Derf shouted, aghast at the name, "The corrupt son of a bitch who once tried to double cross Samus Aran to the space pirates?"

"Yeah, that corrupt twisted bastard... We're going on a hunt."

Derf chuckles in mirth. "Well, looks like it won't be as boring as you thought it would be."

"No... It won't."

He pushes himself off the wall and heads towards the doors leading out of the hall.

"Hey, where are you going, familiar?" he hears Louise yell out to him.

He turns his head and casts a dark meaning glare at the girl, causing Louise to flinch.

"I got something very important to do. Nothing that should concern you anyway, Louise. I'll return soon."

"Hopefully you return with fewer injuries like last time," Derf adds in. Saito didn't respond, and disappears from the dining hall. Old Man Osmond and Colbert glance at one another. They had heard the name the boy spoke... Leon Schindler. It was said in a way that one would associate as a dangerous criminal.

Saito had run back to the Dragon Buster as fast as he could. When he exited two minutes later, he was clad in his outfit when they first introduced themselves to the inhabitants of the academy. Only now, he wore armoring gauntlets around vital areas of his body. His visor was on full display now, as he somersaults off the gunship's top with a stylish crouch. Parts of the armor add-ons were on the forearms, pauldrons on the shoulders of his coat, padded protection over his bodysuit hidden under said coat, armoring on the legs and knees. In addition to his ever-trusted sword Derflinger, he had clipped to the left side of his armor belt a fully-armed Plasma GX Magnum. Hey, Saito wasn't just an expert swordsman; there comes a time when a gun just does best for needed range attacks.

As he always kept his trench coat open and never zipped up, the additions could be well seen.

"Well, let's get hunting, Derf."

"Since we're on a magic-heavy planet, I'm more effective here so don't hesitate to use me," Derf reminded Saito.

"I know, friend."

With a fast sprint, he's high-tailing it out of the Academy grounds, and heading north from the ship's position. The only ones who saw the "commoner" run faster than any land animal were the familiars themselves, and the few servants who were told to feed the familiars out in the courtyard near the hall.

Inside the Dragon Buster, Lumine sighs to herself as Sekai worked on reheating leftovers.

"We should stock on food supplies from this planet. There should be some familiar foods we're used to. Or ingredients like fruits and vegetables and breads."

"We could use some cheese and butter... and I can make some grilled cheese sandwiches."

Lumine beamed. "And with our own small dishes of tomato soup to dip our sandwiches in... Yeah, sounds lovely."

"Hopefully Saito will be fine tracking down Schindler's signal... I just wonder what he's doing on this planet."

She frowns.

"Saito will be fine. He can take care of himself. Although, I must admit I was a bit shocked when Leon Schindler's signal was detected not far from here."

Sekai nodded softly, as he types away on the holodeck keyboard. "Yeah. That is one other thing to make a report when help finally arrives."

=0=0=

The Day of the Void... A week had gone by and no sign of Louise's familiar was sighted anywhere in the Academy. Most of the nobles still avoided Sekai like the plague, but Siesta was brave enough to ask where Saito disappeared to. Louise... she was upset her disobedient familiar would vanish on her like that. But Saito arrived at 9 in the morning at the front gates, looking slightly worse for wear.

"Finally back... although it's a failed mission with the man missing."

"Who knows where Leon is... but I know you'll find him soon. Those goblins on the way back were a pain, but you fought worse."

"The animated golem droids from those old ruins when we gone on that excavation mission with a couple of Federation Marines... Now that was a pain in the ass."

"Saito! You returned!"

Lumine briskly walked up to him.

"Yeah. The man wasn't there. The ship's been abandoned for some time now when we arrived. Barely anything was left running. What energy it had left was used for me to properly hack through the doors."

"So he's here... just not in the same location... that doesn't sound good."

He shakes his head, allowing Lumine to sigh.

"So, anything happen while I was gone? It's been a week."

"Well, there was an incident I got involved in four days ago, when Sekai and I left to wander the surroundings and inside the building. Oh, that girl Siesta... such a cutie. She's practically the few people here who'll speak with us."

"Tell me," Saito said, as he was led to the gunship.

**_FLASHBACK SCENE_**

Lumine was clad in one of her usual outfits for everyday wear. Sekai was still in the airship but she wanted to check out the place. She met the girl Siesta who was very polite, and helpful enough in helping them take some food stock from the kitchens so they can have some food back on the Dragon Buster. During Saito's absence, she and Sekai started to learn everything they could about the planets' cultures and planetary systems, confirming some of their early scans before arrival to the planet via the portal that saved their lives. Right now though, she was in the hall, ignoring people as she read, and also helping Siesta with her overworked duties serving cakes and tea. She can multitask well. Out the corner of her eye, she spies the blond boy she had run into the other night (not physically but she was in the shadows). So, memorizing her position in the borrowed book, he carries a tray of cakes and teas to his table, where he was with another girl. She could see the boy was womanizing this girl.

"So, who's the girl you're going out with this time, kid?" she questions, setting the tray down.

"I beg your pardon but I only hold one true woman in my heart, and that is the beautiful Montmorency."

"Please. I was there that night when I was doing research with some books I borrowed from your library. You were with a younger girl... in fact, I see her right now. The chestnut-haired girl in the brown cloak coming up to you..."

Montmorency stares hard at Guiche, just as said girl with the brown cloak designating her as a first year mage student stopped.

"You were with this girl?"

"Honey, who's this girl," the brunette questions, confused seeing Guiche with another.

"Who's this girl?" Monty growls.

"Her name's Katie," Lumine replied, "and last night they were having sweet talks while going to the nearby forests around your academy grounds... La Rochelle, I believe. Moon-lit walk under the starry skies."

"I beg your pardon, but I did no such thing. I would never do anything as heinous as lead hearts astray!" Guiche says dramatically.

She gives a cattish smile.

"As a developing Felinekoh growing into womanhood, I have some powerful senses, especially in smell. One of the scents I don't like... is how you just stank of multiple feminine odors. Right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you used Miss Katie here as a bag and tag routine, and continue on your womanizing ways... especially as you had a vial of a deep royal purple perfume that has her scent."

She empathized by pointing at Montmorency. Her exposed sharpened nails glint softly yet eerily, cat tail poofing slight.

"One thing I hate is a man betraying a woman's fickle heart. Lying... is another thing that I dislike. You may not have seen me, but I definitely saw you. You were with this brunette here, and you handed her an expensive looking crystal bottle of perfume. Calling her the love of your life, a beauty beyond your planet's two moons..."

"You... you wanted me... just to have a good time?" Katie whispers.

"N-No... No it's not true!"

SLAP!

Katie had viciously slapped the young lad across the face, threw the "gift" he got from Guiche at his face, and storms off angrily. Two of the girl's friends had chased after their heart-broken friend.

"Just as I suspect! You've been making moves on that first year, haven't you Guiche? I just had that feeling something was off, and this is it, huh?"

"Please, Montmorency the Fragrance. Don't twist your rose-like face in anger. It saddens me to see it!"

Lumine raised an eyebrow. Such the words of a womanizer...

Another slap and Montmorency walks off in a huff, whilst calling him a lying two-timing twit.

Silence fell upon the hall.

Guiche pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his face. Shaking his head, he spoke dramatically and with the flair of an actor at Hollywood. "It would seem those ladies do not understand the meaning of a rose's existence." Lumine heard better words from old history actor Daniel Baldwin.

"Geez, not too smooth, are ya? Lying little twit..."

She stood up, and helping Siesta with an empty tray nearby, begins to leave with her reading book, and said maid following the catgirl.

"Halt there, woman," Guiche calls to Lumine.

Lumine twitched, but responds.

"What now, boy?"

"You server should have stayed silent, and now because of your words you have destroyed the reputation of two beautiful women. Just what do you plan to do, commoner?"

"Commoner? Really? Maybe sniffing all that perfume destroyed what brain cells you had left. Besides, you forgot... I'm not the one who attempted to date one woman, and fuck another behind her back."

Guiche's cheeks flushed crimson, in anger and embarrassment.

"And another thing... I'm not FROM this planet... if you and the rest of these people here had forgotten..."

Some of them then realized it. The girl had the ears and tail of a feline species... the alien woman from the heavens! The one who had an elf for a lover!

"Ahh... your friends with you already picked it up... you just forgot because you're too busy screwing girls and destroying their hearts."

Guiche's eyes narrowed. "It would seem that you don't know the proper etiquette for addressing a noble."

"And what's so noble about a bunch of trash?" she demands. "Last I recall, the last royal family I and my friends met before Saito's little misadventure didn't treat their hired hell like slaves and low-end trash to be spat upon. In the few days since we crash-landed on this planet... I have seen the fundamentally error ways of which you people seem to have as your so-called lifestyle which is that in power has the ability to command those who cannot use your so-called magic..."

"Very well. Then I shall teach you a lesson about respect. A perfect way to relieve some stress." Guiche stood up.

"Threatening my girlfriend, boy?" A voice spoke behind, as gasps rang out, mixed with some shouts. Guiche sun around, and scrambled back, on his backside crawling as Sekai had just... appeared.

Then Sekai smiled.

"Lumine, if my ears didn't deceive me... this so-called mage just issued a challenge of combat."

Guiche picked himself up off the floor, in order t preserve his dignity.

"Yeah... guess I got some ass to kick. How about Vestri Court? It's not that far from here. Plenty of open space for me to beat you into the dirt... That is, if you're noble enough to fight and not back off? Or are you too much of a coward?"

Sekai smiles; Lumine was playing on his pride. That is what she did. And like fish to bait, Guiche was angry and demanded it take place in ten minutes before rushing off, his friends following. The hall slowly began to clear out, all except Siesta... who looked deathly afraid. And Louise... for some reason, she remained. She was still varying of the elf person who was the cat woman's lover or something. And she knew they were friends of her missing disobedient dog of a familiar.

Even she couldn't understand though... what had just transpired between that cat girl and Guiche. Siesta gazed at Lumine, her entire body quivering. She had known Lumine for only a few days and already she found her company delightful and Sekai's as well. Saito was also a person she liked even though the teenager was missing currently.

"You... You're going to get killed."

Sekai blinked. Did he hear that right? "What?" Lumine spoke up, blinking.

"He's a noble. He has powerful magic. He'll kill you easily... it's a known rule that commoners can never defeat a noble in combat."

The two star-crossed lovers share a look. To the shock of the two ladies, they laughed openly, as if told a very funny joke.

"Oh my god... c-can you believe that?" Sekai says with laugher shaking his frame.

"Saito would scoff and then giggle, calling it cute," Lumine replies with mirth.

"I think this is funnier than that incident of Saito and the loli brigade on Sylph."

The two soon calmed down. Lumine wiped a tear from her eye. "We SOO have to tell him this when he returns locating Schindler's gunship signal."

With a breath, Sekai replied. "Yeah, he'll enjoy a good funny story."

Reaching into his coat pocket, he withdrew his lover's weapon. It was something neither ladies of the Tristian Academy of Magic ever saw before. It resembled a misshapen T made out of strange metals not of iron, steel, or even bronze. It was pure white as a base color. The longer slender pole of the cross was smooth with a seen cushioned grip area, a dulled bluish silver tint. The areas above the top sprouted into a three-way prong. The sides extended into half wing-like attachments of lavender, gleaming white, and edges of pink. And over the areas where the metal wing-like joints form, are clad under small armored pauldrons. On the top was a rounded emerald gemstone, completely smooth and pure of blemishes. The bottom of the weapon's handle was the simple decoration of an armored skirt attachment.

This was one of Lumine's weapons: the Battle Cross. Sure it didn't resemble such, but that is its name.

"So, partial armor or full-on?" was Sekai's question. He saw the armor belt Lumine wore. The very same belt that allows her transformation into a high-tech protective armor of various weapons schematics during their bounty hunts.

Lumine merely smiles and walks off towards the duel, a frightened Siesta watching her friend leave.

"Ahh... Lumine... don't hurt that idiot too much."

"B-but..."

"Siesta, don't forget... I know that my girlfriend can take care of herself."

Siesta sighed. "... I... I just... Well, you are an elf."

"Girls... I'm a Jiraiyan... but... whatever. Most people just call me an elf; I'm used to it, although sometimes I wish people WOULD confirm me by my real species name. It's bad enough today some people mistake me for being a member of Kreatz race when I'm not. The only thing that distinguishes me being different from Kreatz is my soul crystal upon my forehead." He reaches up and feels the special growths that were a dominant feature of his planet's dead race.

Louise looked at the elf... thing. She knew that elves don't have crystal growths growing out of their heads and such. She had to keep reminding herself... she had indirectly summoned this person from the heavens alongside the girl with the cat features... and her real BONDED familiar who's STILL missing. She blinks, realizing that she was being left behind, as the boy - Sekai, was it? - was leaving and the maid was following the elven boy. She herself has a familiar, and she was ingrained hard on how things should work in the world. But, she had this fleeting feeling that she was going to witness something... that would slowly destroy her world views.

She had no idea how right she was. Vestri Court, ten minutes later, was the central garden situated between the Wind and Fire elemental towers. It was the perfect place for a duel. And the place was packed with people who had heard the rumors.

"It's a duel!"

Guiche lifted his artificial rose high, eliciting a loud cheer from the crowd.

"Guiche is going to duel! His opponent is the female commoner with the cat ears!"

More cheers rang out.

Lumine walked into the scene, and Guiche finally waves his arms dramatically to quiet them down. Then, as if she was finally acknowledged, he rudely enough looks down upon her.

"I commend you for coming... and even though you are a woman, I will not stray my hand in beating sense into you. Disrespecting the way we nobles live... you should learn where commoners such as yourself should stay."

Lumine scoffs. "As if trash like you can ever "teach me" what I should do. You're nothing but a spoiled brat who should have gotten an ass beating years ago, and for mistreating women like we're toys."

Some of the females in the crowd couldn't help but agree.

Guiche sends a look of contempt, before flicking his nose, releasing a rose petal from his elegant-looking crutch... I mean wand. Hitting the ground, a stoic suit of metal in the craft of the female build stands where the petal one was after a soft flash of white, armed with a sword and a shield. It was highly polished, a deadly warrior. Lumine recognized such designs. A reference to the Flight of the Valkyrie...

"Yes... I forgot to mention... I am Guiche Chevalier de Gramont... The Bronze is my runic name. As such, the bronze knight you see is my specialty. A warrior of finesse and beauty... My Valkyrie... it shall be your opponent."

The blue-eyed blond pretty boy with such weird fashion smiles and flashes his white teeth. Lumine stares momentarily. When she expected the name bronze, she wanted to see something that looked similar to copper, but with a polished gold-like tint. Not... bluish gray metal. Honestly... Bronze? How about Blue Silver?

"The Bronze, huh?"

She reached to her hip and pulls forth her Battle Cross into her hand.

"Doesn't look like a bronze knight to me."

With a flick of her weapon, the top of the gem flashes and glows, and a long energy chain of pink grows forth like a vine charged with Earth magic (in the views of the nobles, of course). Then with another flick, and a loud crack, she slices a large gash into Guiche's Valkyrie, shocking the boy and sending him jumping back and well away. It buckled by the hit alone, before Lumine grapples it with her plasma whip and leaps high, dragging it into the air. With a fast spiral of her body, she spins the thing about, making it lose its weapons. The crowds below screamed as a sword comes down, but a barrier of shimmering white emerged and blocked the falling projectiles. Sekai stood nearby, Chozo Staff eyes glowing. Like Moses parting the sea so did the nobles part ways to avoid him (even though he has saved them from being cleaved into a bloody half by a disarmed spinning sword).

With a yell, she slams the whip down, and smashes the bronze knight into the dirt, forming a small crater. Allowing gravity to aid her descent, she forms a large triangular blade of plasma to form out of the bottom, and hits the ground with a slash, splitting the Valkyrie in half. She back flips in a large leap, and lands back in her original position. A breath and, "Is that all? That was too easy. Hell, I fought a Bugbear Hive that could irk me something fierce. That... was just pathetic..."

Some of the students looked confused, while the student who owns an actual Bugbear as his familiar looks at said creature, then back at the catgirl. Sekai chuckles audibly, catching attention from the human bioforms.

"If you didn't understand... Bugbears are supposed to be a hostile species... an ALIEN species."

The boy paled now. It's common knowledge the three strangers were from space, and are considered extraterrestrials... but the Bugbear is said to be an actual alien itself? That's a shocker.

"How that boy over there has a virtually TAMED alien life form as his little pet I will never know. But I'm willing to guess it's only because that his pet is in its infant stage. It'll get more dangerous as it fully matures. Trust me... you'll know when it's fully mature when it's larger, sporting four distinct bat-like wings, and has a hard shell-like piece covering most of its round sphere except the transformed pupil area."

"And I, Sekai, and Saito... that Louise girl's familiar by your odd standards, have faced a hive of them before... very dangerous creatures they are."

The plasma blade was dispelled but she still has her wire whip out. It lies on the ground in a lazy coil, crackling like electricity almost.

"But... how? How did you do that strange magic? You're just a commoner!" Guiche yells.

"For your information, just because you have magic doesn't mean you're better than me or anybody else who can't. Hell, I can't use magic, but I'm capable of killing several grown hostile aliens. And my weapon is NOT made of magic... it's created by science and advanced technology. Our friend Saito comes from a military background family so he knows how to fight, especially since he's an expert swordsman. And my lover Sekai... he's the only magic user of the trio and yet he doesn't lord over us unlike you nobles and your strange fixation on seeing him like he's some sort of demon. He may be an elf, but he's NOT from you planet. Now, you got anything else or can I beat you up now and end this one-sided fight?"

**_ENDING FLASHBACK SCENE_**

"Huh... so what happened to that idiot boy... Guiche, was it?"

"I may have changed his ways since I had brutally silenced his two-timing ways... that and boys learn a good lesson when their balls are held under a woman's heel." She gives an evil smile at that, making Saito chuckle softly, while paling a little. "Yes, most of the girls who had been betrayed by his sneaky betraying heart and his womanizing ways kind of started to worship me because I was a strong woman. I didn't even resort to my armor... just the cross only."

"And Sekai?"

"He was there... he pointed and laughed at Guiche's humiliation. When I said I was bored he summoned six more of those bronze knights he calls them but I easily took them out, and had him in the end in a grapple with my plasma whip. Yes, I made sure it didn't cause any permanent harm aside feeling the heat. My tail had his wand firmly gripped as my wires had him in a chokehold, and then to make sure he knew how serious I was, stomped on his family jewels after forcing him to his knees. He forfeited. He had claimed during his summoning of his six magic knights he wasn't afraid of death, claims of being a proud noble, but I had him reduced to a sniveling mess of a sissy."

"Well, thank goodness Sekai was there to protect the audience from your flying disarmed projectiles."

Saito winces a bit as peroxide was rubbed on the few cuts on his exposed body, before being wrapped in bandages.

Lumine sighs. "Well, after the battle and we left a thoroughly shocked group of students, and Siesta who was sure I was going to die." Here Saito scoffed, "Sekai informed me that the two men we met a week ago when we crash-landed into their school property, was scyring us with a magical artifact. They were mostly watching the fight... that poor one-sided fight. I'm sure I also shocked them..."

"They believed you would lose, and if I am right... would have been prepared to prevent any deaths if it got out of control."

Lumine shrugs. "Possibly. But like it'll happen. Still, I just wonder if their stupid or they seem to forget things that happen. Their lives and their hierarchy is kind of screwed up, I wish I could change stuff around, especially with how they view people who aren't magical." She sighs. "Well, anyway Saito, I think today you should stay with that Louise girl. It's been long enough and you ARE her familiar by contract."

"Yeah. Although... I can leave her anytime I want to since the runes of Sekai he placed on all of us; mine reacted and forced those runes to form on my bracelet instead." He lifts said right arm up, to show off the runes Lumine found interesting a week ago. It was also discovered the runes had a type of compulsion form on them that would slowly redirect memory, erasing and making the branded more... susceptible to the controller's words. In other words, a type of mind control with the branded able to still have a form of free will...

And with Derf able to confirm such a type of magic, they broke that portion of the runic energy without destroying the brand completely.

"Ya know partner... you really SHOULD spend more time there," the sword speaks up from the table he was laid on.

"Yeah I know. With you guys doing some information gathering while I was gone... I could learn a bit more myself. Compare notes and stuff. Oh, any word on the SOS?"

"We were finally detected. They are sailing the KAITO-3 to the planet."

Saito smiles.

"That's great news. I think it's best if we get this planet under protection. I have no doubt the pirates that tried to kill us a week ago wouldn't forget us easily."

"You're just like Sekai... expect the worst. And in most cases, they come true," Derf says.

"I have no doubt they would have send pirate ships to track us down. After all, they had us literally in a death hold and we make a miraculous escape. They'll want to make sure that humiliation doesn't happen again... scoundrels..."

"Go," said Lumine. "Get dressed, bring Derf with you. Today the mage people are having some sort of special day that is important to them involving their summoned creatures and stuff. Stick around them for awhile. And if you see Guiche, tell him I said hello."

Saito laughs putting his undershirt on before leaving, grabbing Derf off the med table upon his exit of the ship's small Med Bay.

* * *

**This time, Saito really DOES stick around with Louise for the next few chapters. And the planet's slow introduction to a mass culture shock will be coming upon the horizon. And who is this mysterious Leon Schindler who apparently has OC background of being a corrupt bad guy who once even tried to betray our known heroine, Samus? We'll just have to wait and find out. I kind of made it long... I was a bit stuck with the flashback scene and the story telling after it from Lumine to Saito, but I managed to find an ending for this chapter. I did well, I hope. I also hope people would give this a worthy review.**

**EDIT on June 12, 2012, 12:38 PM to correct some errors, as well as add some varying details and references.**


	4. Chapter 4

ゼロミッションの使い魔 **The Familiar of Zero Mission  
**(Zero Misshon no Tsukaima)

**Disclaimer: The Familiar of Zero** (ゼロの使い魔 _Zero no Tsukaima_) and all of its known official characters, concepts, locations, etcetera are owned by Noboru Yamaguchi (light novelist), and all other writers of its anime and manga adapts. The series **Metroid**, and all known characters, concepts, locations, etcetera is owned by Nintendo. All I own are my Original Characters and this idea of a story... crossover story.

* * *

In her room, Louise was finishing her letter to her parents, after long consideration of words to not show that A) the familiar she summoned was disobedient and always disappeared, and B) she wasn't a failure as a mage. Of course, with several crumpled balls of parchment later, her official final letter was satisfactory enough for her. And then there was a knock at her door as she sealed it into an envelope. When she answered it, there stood Saito Hiraga... her commoner familiar from the heavens with a sword for a weapon.

"So Lumine told me you guys had this little tradition happening today and told me I should stick around with you... to get to know you since with this rune on my bracelet... marks me as your partner familiar and whatnot."

"The Day of the Void, Saito," Derf tells the teen. "And you COULD use the rest after fighting an army of goblins on our trek back to the academy. Lumine's orders. No strenuous activity that could aggravate some of your injuries."

Louise pondered on the thoughts: Do I ask what the dog was doing fighting dangerous goblins? Or WHY goblins were in the forests in between the protected academy and the local town? She settled for glaring at him for his disappearing act.

=0=0=

"Well?"

Osmond stares at the research Colbert had finally gathered, and had fully deciphered the runes on Louise Vallière's familiar. Colbert "The Flame Snake" had done extensive research after finding nothing on the runes that emerged on the boy's wrist. And spending several days since in the library (when classes weren't in the way), he had finally found the references to the runes in the section known as Fenrir. He did all the research he could, before finally presenting the evidence to Headmaster Osmond... after witnessing another perverted incident with Osmond trying (and failing to) peek under his secretary's skirt using his familiar Chuchu.

"I see... no mistaking on this information," the old man says, leaning back into his chair.

"It's so amazing... the Gandálfr has been reborn! And not from our world!"

"Yes... unlike most people, I know they are not from this world. They DID come from the very heavens in that... contraption of theirs. It's like an airship but nothing LIKE one."

"Old Osmond. We should report this to the palace immediately and ask for instructions..."

"No need," the old Headmaster replies immediately.

"But sir! This is the biggest discovery of the century!"

"I know Mr. Colbert. I know as well as you do that the Gandálfr itself was no ordinary familiar."

"Exactly! The familiar used by the Founder Brimir, Gandálfr! There was never any description of its appearance, but it's said to have been created specifically for the purpose of protecting the Founder Brimir during his spell incantations. Not to mention that the familiar wields the sword that claims it was THE weapon by Brimir's first Gandálfr! That has to count for something..."

"I know, Colbert. The Founder Brimir's incantations were especially long, which made his spells very powerful. And as you know, mages are most vulnerable while spell casting. Gandálfr was the familiar that he used to protect himself in those times of vulnerability. Its strength..."

Colbert eagerly cut in at this point, looking extremely excited.

"It could annihilate an army of one thousand all by itself! Ordinary mages were said to be no match for it!"

"So, Mr. Colbert."

"Yes?"

"You heard of my saying on our Founder. The boy is the familiar of Louise Vallière if I am not mistaken. You and I saw that duel in the Vestri Courts the past four days ago. The girl used a weapon unlike anything we ever seen before, and easily took him and his creations down... and monsieur Gramont is a Dot level Earth mage. Do you believe she is the commoner as many of us preserved her as? Or how about the elf that came from the heavens? And, they are apparently the companions of Louise Vallière's bonded familiar, the boy who wields the sword of magic."

"Well..." Colbert was silent for a moment. "I will admit I never believed such a girl with feline features would ever be able to easily outclass a mage, no matter what class."

"Exactly. They are NOT from our world. Many are hardheaded, but this old coot knows the cold truth. Their metal dragon airship of theirs is something far more advanced than anything we ever have today."

Silence...

"Tell me Colbert. What do you think of Miss Vallière?"

"Well... it has been said by most of her peers she is... un-talented in most magic."

Osmond stares at Colbert.

"Then how does one explain the summoning ritual she performed, that in a way brought those three visitors from the heavens to our Academy? Or how through said summoning ritual, has her bonded to the one who now holds the runes of the Gandálfr?"

"I... can say it is most puzzling, sir," Colbert admits.

"Then you can agree that informing the palace of these events would draw too much attention. That elf boy says he's an elf, but he's not from the land of the elves. He, and his two companions, came from the heavens in a contraption of a craft more advanced than the airship. And with how the palace and much of us today views elves... the last thing I want is a whole army storming down my courtyards and ruining the gardens."

"And the Gandálfr, sir?"

"The familiar has the eyes of a warrior. You and I both can see that. Miss Vallière will have to accept that... her commoner familiar is anything BUT. And telling them the Gandálfr has returned will give them a toy that would only cause unnecessary wars. No need for all this trouble. I do hope you will remain silent about this for now? Do not mention ANY of this to anybody, especially to Miss Vallière. I have the suspicion that if our three heavenly visitors are as smart as they elude, they would have deduced what the runes could mean. But still, keep silent on this information."

Colbert nodded. "Yes, I understand, sir."

Osmond took hold of his staff and looked out the window. He immersed his thoughts in the far reaches of history. And Colbert was murmuring, as if in a dream.

"The Gandálfr... I cannot help but wonder what form it had taken previously before."

"Hrm..."

Osmond was thinking back to the sword the familiar wielded. Derflinger the Devourer of Magi... It had even announced it was the very weapon Louise's familiar wielded, once was also wielded by the first Gandálfr. Such interesting links... links to a past no one today has known knowledge of except in farfetched legends and myths.

Could Louise Vallière have the legendary element of Void? That was the one question that danced Osmond's mind.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Colbert?"

"If the familiar of Miss Vallière is indeed the Gandálfr, then by all logic, that would make her a Void mage... would it?"

Osmond said nothing in response. However, Osmond's eyes hardened. If true, then the world was going to see something that hasn't been witnessed since Brimir's time. But what neither men knew was another event was coming upon the horizon, one that would affect the entire world, not JUST Halkeginia.

=0=0=

Yup... what a start to the day that is respected and celebrated by the nobles of their world. Louise was giving her familiar the riot act. She threatened not to feed him; he retorted he could simply eat at his metal airship monster thing. And before showing up, had taken the time to get a lasting snack... which explains the strange things Saito was currently devouring. And then Saito was yelled at because of his friend Lumine not knowing anything regarding nobility. He replied Lumine had told him what had happened and actually supported her side since he also agreed Guiche needed a lesson in humility. That only got her ire sparked again.

"He's a noble! That girl has no right to give him lessons in anything, you commoner!" Louise nearly shrieked.

Saito scoffs.

"Commoner? I wield the weapon of which your little founder person you people worship like a god had used through his partner. And I now have Derf as my trusted partner. Besides... the mightier a person, the harder they fall. If that Guiche person was all that strong, he should have shown those strengths, not let himself get easily beaten."

"That is very true," Derf adds. "Saito's amazing in wielding me on defense and offense. And with my ability of devouring the essence of magic, Saito can very well wield magic in his own customized system of magic usage. Send a fireball at me, and Saito could come up with different ways of utilizing the absorbed flames as a counter. Cast thunder and Saito will be able to electrocute his enemies. Send ice and we can freeze our enemies back. Cast the power of the earthly ground and we can build a more powerful defense to frustrate our opponents. And when we work in synchronized union alongside Sekai's bloodline magicks, we can cast a wider array of abilities never before seen in this world. We have fought against things that would be the worse of nightmares for many a normal man. Things not even you could ever comprehend in understanding."

It took a deep fictional exhale.

"Tell me Miss Louise, can any mages today harness the power of nature's harmony?"

Louise grumbled. "Not that I know of aside the elves."

"What about the harnessing of reiryoku?"

"Ray-what?"

"It's another word for spirit energy," Derf responds kindly.

"How would I know?" She growls, finding it hard to believe she was now having a slight argument with a talking sword.

"Sekai's magicks are mostly spiritual in nature. However, as he is of royal blood, and sadly the last of his own kind, he's capable of using other elements that make up the stars themselves in the vast reaches of our universe. He is very powerful in his own right, but in a way, Saito has his own strengths that make him unique, and the same goes for Sekai's bonded lover Lumine. And the prince's strengths are still ever growing. In a way, I can see him using his bloodline's magicks as similar to how you people view the elves of this planet regarding their ability to use magic in a way much different than mage magic."

Derf really wished he had a face so he could send a glare.

"Tell me, why is it that you and the other mages, nobles, and humans in general, fear elves?"

"Because they are associated with the devil," she replied, as if common knowledge.

"Why?"

"I just told you why!"

Derf chuckled. "Maybe... or is it because none of you know why you fear these elves, you simply do. Maybe it's because of their ears? If a human has something different about them, you must assume something's wrong. Or maybe... far somewhere down the time of your history, your ancestors decided to do something so horrific that you cover it up and now today people express racial views against a species of humanoids. Or... you hate them because your ancestors at the time couldn't use magic until today some humans can..."

Louise glared hard. She didn't want to hear anymore of this hearsay. The sword didn't know anything...

"Shut up! I want to hear no more of this blasphemy... just stay here commoner and don't go anywhere."

She goes to her desk, grab her letter, and leave the room slamming the door on her exit. Her footsteps can be heard in each angry stomp as she marches off in a huff.

"Well... I don't know if she's a tsundere... but she certainly has angry issues."

Saito gazed around the room, taking interest on several books on a small bookshelf. "Why didn't you tell the truth?"

Derflinger gives a sigh.

"She'll see it as blasphemy to her views and call us liars. Even if it IS the truth..."

The truth of the matter was... Derflinger was the reason the humans of the planet hated the elves. Founder Brimir and the humans of his generation were born from the "Holy Land" which was the planet's eastern land. And after a horrible incident regarding Brimir and his familiar, Sasha, the humans were cast into exile from the land. And then the "Species War" started, with Brimir's writing in the Prayer Book suggesting genocide of the elvin race, to extinguish their "unholy magic" and to retake the "Holy Land" at any and all costs. The Founder's familiar was the first elf, which could use the rare power of Void, who had turned her back on Brimir and killed him in order to prevent him and his human military from killing the elf race (and save the lives of many innocent elves).

"If the truth was spoken, many would not believe, or wish to not believe it. They see the Founder Brimir as a savior and the holy creator of their world. To learn that Brimir was not as holy as they all depicted him as, that Brimir had done many atrocious things in his life... such as committing genocide... it would tear their world views asunder, and cause civil wars to erupt."

"Such is the sadness of the truth being more harmful than lies," Saito quotes with a sigh.

Unstrapping Derf off his back, he lays it alongside him as he plops back onto Louise's bed.

"And once the KAITO-3 arrive in planetary orbit... we'll singlehandedly cause an entire world to change." Derf cackled. "Can't wait to see the chaos!"

He plunges the blade fully into the sheath, silencing his laughs. Derf was odd sometimes... like the time he managed to play Poker. Yeah, Derflinger once managed to play a few hands of Poker one bored day a year ago. It was rather humorous, when you add in one German-talking alien catfish also playing Poker with Derf on a planetary home visit. The black silver-edged blade and the alien catfish...

It was quiet, allowing Saito to rest briefly, until he was rudely awoken by Louise who had returned five minutes later. And grabbing Derf and strapping him to his back had followed the girl. She had explained the Day of the Void meant no classes were issued; a break from class work. And, with some words by Derf in memory... spend a day to know their familiars by those whom had summon of that year. But what could he tell her? Aside stories of his life... she wouldn't remotely understand just how technologically behind her race of humans were on the planet, compared to the advancements of technology by both man and alien across the cosmos (and from both the side of good and the side of evil). With the academy and its rather hardheadedness of understanding that the Dragon Buster still parked in the courtyard was not of their world... well... a bit stressful to ignore when people tend to dismiss you.

He had followed the girl outside, where several other students were with their familiars. From normal animals, to those of mythical monsters; he saw a Basilisk around a nearby building... there was that Bugbear alien, and then a squid octopus-looking creature. He could have sworn he saw a gray and white owl wearing a headband and a black eye patch hiding under a cardboard box in a tree.

"Stay here and interact with the other familiars if you want. I'm getting a drink."

And she walks off.

"Well, that was rude, not asking if you'd want something," Derf mutters.

Saito merely takes out a bag of candied fruits and pops one into his mouth. Candy pineapple... yum.

"So, you're Louise's familiar."

A tall busty young lady with flowing red hair and tanned skin walks up, and following the girl was a reddish orange salamander creature at her feet. It spits a small tongue of flame with its rough exhale.

"You've been gone for awhile, and your friends have caused quite a ruckus." She licked her lips. Kirche couldn't help but admit Louise's familiar was... very handsome.

He looks to Louise who had walked off to get a drink for herself.

"So... what's your name, miss?"

"My name's Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst. But please, call me Kirche. You weren't here on the day us nobles were to bond with our familiars..."

Saito glanced at her fire lizard, before looking back at the, admittedly, cute girl.

"Something very important occurred that I had to deal with regarding a criminal whom have been the bane of bounty hunters across the galaxy," he replied.

Kirche blinks, before she nodded. "Ohh... I forgot... you came in that weird airship thing that descended from the skies."

"Yeah... it's more or less a space ship... because we've traveled between planets and stars."

"Really?" Kirche breathed, slightly amazed.

"Yes. Trust me... when we arrived here through that magic portal, we saw how beautiful this planet was. And its beauty was even more enticing with the rare colored moons of red and blue."

Derflinger is heard chuckling from his position on Saito's back, as Saito merely smiles.

"Yes, the planet is very beautiful in its own right. Especially the broad expanse of nature, untainted by the industrial age... or an invasion of Space Pirates..."

"And let's not forget this planet is Phazon-free," Saito added, with Derf adding an "oh, that too" as his reply.

Kirche blinked. She never heard of such a word. "Phazon?" she tested the word on her lips. It sounded so foreign. Saito opens his computer and displays the only files thus far they have on the name Phazon. Kirche was amazed at the lights that formed over Louise's familiar's left bracelet. Unintelligible words alien to her emerged, but Saito had them translated into the words Kirche was familiar with.

* * *

_Kreuger displacement: 99.566  
Atomic weight: 99.75  
Vacuum potential: 98.996  
Origin: Unknown_

Phazon is a highly radioactive mutagenic substance of unknown origin. Recently discovered due to transmission hacking by Galactic Federation on the Space Pirates, and from investigation reports by Samus Aran after her incident on the Wanderer-class planet, Tallon IV, Phazon is a corrupting substance and is reportedly seen as semi-organic in nature, and is capable of corrupting entire ecosystems, and mutate many of various lifeforms and decay sentient lifeforms into feral creatures. For classification thus far, it's reported as a V-index mutagen with lifelike characteristics.

* * *

Saito dispels the file.

"From what we know thus far of Phazon, it's capable of mutating and corrupting all forms of life, and can destroy entire ecosystems across an impacted planet. This planet is... so rich with life. Imagine... everything you knew of your life, and then imagine all of it gone, a shell of its former self with most life extinguished and surviving lifeforms transformed into horrendous feral-like monsters, and the environment world-wide destroyed."

Kirche took in a deep breath. "That... certainly is frightening to imagine... such a thing can actually exist."

"It does. The Galactic Federation is only starting to actively take combat against its existence. The bad thing is the Space Pirates have already taken an active interest of the Phazon."

"Kirche, what are you doing with my familiar?" yells Louise, as she returned with a drink for herself.

"We're just talking. There's nothing wrong with that, Zero Louise," Kirche responded with a quirky smile.

"Has anybody ever told you, that you have anger issues?" Saito questioned, before popping a candied orange into his mouth.

"What are you eating?" Louise questions her familiar.

"Hey, I bought this from the local Seven Eleven a month ago, and these still have a good shelf life of two years. I just felt like enjoying some candied fruits today. I had them all morning." He plucks a clearish pink-speckled piece of dried fruit, and pops it into his mouth. He makes a soft moan of enjoyment. "Mmm... so good... I enjoy orange, pineapple and bubblegum, but I also have a liking for the p'namtyko fruit native to Grondhliana."

He took out a slice of dried red-orange fruit, and ate it. Of course, like the p'namtyko fruits in some Standard GF Marine rations/MREs, the hallucinogenic compound used by the shamans and monks of the native planet were extracted from the candied forms of said fruit, leaving in the deep sweet and slight tangy sour taste. Hey, nobody wants children to experience 1970s styled hallucinations by the fruit if the compound was left intact.

"What's a Seven Eleven?" Kirche questioned.

"Intergalactic fueling station and rest stop; they also sell various foods, drinks, and everything else you can think of." Saito knew they wouldn't know but he just replied anyway for the hell of it. Though now he was craving for some pepperoni pizza-stuffed pretzels... yum. There was one Seven Eleven in the Norion system that had the best service station that sold the best pizza-stuffed pretzels in the galaxy.

"Oh... Oh! I forgot. This is my familiar, Flame. He came from the proud Fire Mountains." Kirche looks down to her Fire Salamander with its burning tail.

"I've seen a variation of this type of breed before," said Saito, bending down by his knees to look at the red-orange lizard. His visor materialized on a mental command. "Hm, nothing similar to the breed I once got into a territorial scuffle with, but it has internal fire sacs within the body that allows it to produce heat and secrete it from its skin. It can survive freezing cold temperatures under minus thirty degrees Fahrenheit, and the flames it expels can be as hot as five hundred degrees."

The lizard stares up at Saito. Then it spit a tongue of flame into the air, and Saito chuckles.

"Well, at least it's not a murderous fire-breathing winged dragon," Derf comments.

Saito rolled his eyes. Derf was making a reference to one of the Galactic Federation's most notorious criminals of the Space Pirates, and Samus Aran's sworn nemesis, Ridley.

"So, do you mind explaining to me why you find Miss Kirche and I having a simple harmless conversation so angering to you?"

"Because our families have been enemies for over two hundred years!" Louise replies, sending a glare at the redhead. "First, Kirche isn't a Tristainian; she's a noble from neighboring Germania. Just that alone makes me angry. I hate Germanians."

"You are so mean," Kirche says with a dramatic sigh.

"Your great-great-great grandfather stole the lover of mine, you harpy!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Saito interrupts, getting in-between the two ladies before a fight could break out, "you hate her family simply because your whatever great grandfather didn't get the girl he liked? Isn't that... I dunno... shallow?"

"What?" Louise screeched.

Derf winced. "Yeesh... I believe the Queen of New Europe heard that screech."

"Yeah... it seems shallow of you and your family to hate another for something so... hm, what word could I use for this..."

"Stupid?" Derf helps.

"I was trying to use a word that didn't sound insulting but, whatever," the Japanese teen says with a shrug, dismissing his visor.

Louise's cheeks were red with frustration.

"Why don't you explain to me your families' history, hm? An abbreviation of it."

"My house, Vallière, has estates on Germania's borders, so we're the first on the field against Germanians the moment any war starts. Even worse, right opposite to us on that border is Kirche's birthplace." Louise bit down hard on her teeth. "So basically, the Zerbst family is our sworn enemy."

"I can't help that our family is one of great passion, Louise," Kirche taunted.

"My great-great-grandfather's fiancé was stolen away from yours!" she yells at the older girl.

Once again, Saito got in-between the two girls.

"Enough! Now, I can understand this little family feud thing going on, but personally to me it's a waste of time and only breeds hatred into future generations. Then again, hatred against one other is something I'm familiar with. For example, the Vespula race."

"Vespula?"

Louise was still glaring at Saito. The teenager simply brought up his bracelet and types away on the keys again, before a data file is displayed. What Kirche, and by extension Louise, saw answered the question.

What they saw made the girls shiver in disgust. The model of the file showed a tall humanoid-looking wasp insect that stood upright, with two legs, a large abdomen with a large stinger as a third point to balance from. Four arms could be found on their thin torso with humanoid hands, and also supported their translucent wings that helped them take to the sky. They have little body mass around the midsection, but their head was equipped with highly developed eyes. They could be compared to humans, only slightly larger with fewer color variations. However, these eyes did not eliminate the need for the two antennae on the head that constantly twitched and moved in the live model of the standard Vespula drone. The colors were browns, yellows, blacks, and along the backsides of the upper body were a brownish yellow fur-like coating.

"The Vespula are a humanoid-wasp race, and an empire-driven colony that lives to serve their queen and its royal family, and are very intelligent in knowledge. Centuries ago on Earth's history they had invaded the plant when humans were still in the early days of evolution, but abandoned the planet when the asteroid that struck the planet created the ice age. Through them, we have smaller wasps that are a devolved version of their race. And long before the rise of the Space Pirates, the Vespula have clashed with the Galactic Federation on several occasions. They ranged from territorial conflicts, to desiring the conquest of planets they deemed hospitable to them. Naturally, they have an aggression with the Federation, and towards humans in general, because they still to this day never get the planets they desired despite the compromise both parties agreed to; one of them was Planet Earth."

He taps on his device, and more files emerged.

"They are ruthless in war tactics, are prideful, and have powerful weapons to assist them in battle. Now, personally I've never fought against Vespula above the rank of commander, but their primary weakness is its large stinger. Breaking it completely drains their vital organs with a gory viscus. But sometimes they will break their own stingers off, in a ritualistic suicide. However, the stingers are the strongest part of their body."

"Can we talk about something other than Vespula Suicide, Saito?" asked Derflinger.

"Well... how about a home video of my childhood?" he asks aloud, before dismissing the Vespula file and bring up another file. Saito played the memory video on the hologram orb displayed from his bracelet computer. The video displayed a younger Saito, age 11. Saito was a cute-looking boy, lounging by the backyard pool. There was a beach chair next to his, and in a large bowl filled with water, lounging back in a human position was Klaus the alien catfish. The position of the camera was set on the table between them, and it only showed the brief backsides of the two.

_"Hm... what is Netto doing?" Klaus asks._

Netto Hiraga was Saito's older brother. In the video he was 15 years old. He looked similar to Saito in the looks department, except his hair was a chocolate brown tint.

_"I have no idea... something odd again."_

_"Oh look, he's making a move," Klaus points with his left fin._

_"Now... you will see... for killing my Queen Bee, you have unleashed the rage of a thousand suns!" Netto shouts from across the backyard pool._

As Netto continued a tribunal-like war of words, he had stripped and put on black pants, a yellow shirt with a single black stripe around the waistline, and his yellow painted face was streaked with two black stripes over the cheeks. He riled the nest by smacking the side of the hive box with a large wood spoon.

_"Now... go my comrades! Unleash your fury! Avenge the death of your queen!"_

What happened next is funny: He unleashed the bees from their hive, and they swarm over him. He was yelling and screaming as the pissed bees began to sting him constantly, and he ran about trying to get away from the swarming cloud. Saito reached for a travel-sized can of Pringles and offered a chip to Klaus, who accepted and takes a crunchy bite. His screams stopped when Netto dove into the pool to get away from the bees. Since its water, bees hate liquid...

_"Netto's so weird," Klaus tells Saito._

_"Right I forgot... I hated those bees he had so I killed one of them when it escaped that capture jar of his... weak revenge..."_

Saito in the video had pressed a button next to his right hand, and a plasma force field shielded them, protecting them from the bees that flew at them next. It was like a giant bug zapper in a sense.

_"You recording this, aren't you?" Klaus asks._

_"Yup," Saito replied, taking a bite into a Pringles chip._

The video stops there and Saito had a big smile on his face.

"That was the funniest day of my life. Plus I got rid of all those bees. His little hive idea never did work in creating enough honey. And personally mother was glad they were gone... she hates bees. A bit of a phobia of hers..."

"Was that fish talking?" Kirche questioned.

"That's Klaus Heissler. He's a former Russian Gold Medalist in the 2050 Galactic Olympics."

Both girls blinked. "What are the Olympics?"

"Basically, the Galactic Olympic Games is a massive intergalactic event that involves various different planets of different origins, different races, with over thousands of thousands of professionally-trained athletes featuring summer and winter sports, whom complete in a variety of competitions. And Klaus was once human, but was abducted by dirty scientists whom worked for an illegal research group outside the Galactic Federation on human and alien biofusion transplants. Basically, he was brain-switched, and now he's a survivor in the body of an alien catfish. He became my pet at the age of five when dad bought him at a pet store... and he's been part of my family ever since."

Louise stared at the glowing light ball, before it vanished in a blink, snapping her from her trance. She stares at her familiar. There was more to the boy than she could ever understand. Throughout the rest of the day, Saito and her hated enemy, Kirche, talked casually, and the servant maid was also friendly with her familiar. And then there was that talking sword that was once the Founder's own, piping up with conversation starters of its own. Yes, he was very different from most other commoners.

=0=0=

The G.F.S. KAITO-3 was en-route to the planet where Saito, Sekai, and Lumine are temporarily stranded on. However, another ship had picked up their distress signal, and that same ship was already arriving in Kallin 3 space. Inside the ship, a blonde-haired young woman in a blue bodysuit with several distinct markings caressed the drive sphere in her right hand in her captain's chair. The ship's computers were displaying new information on various pop-up windows of light, such as distance, location, LGPS (Local Galaxy Positioning System) highlight, as well as a distinct hardcore mapping of the planet in general. With a subtle movement of the drive sphere, the gunship's engine drives explode with increased thrust, propelling through a short field of ionize gas.

* * *

**Worked some stuff about... still, it sounds good enough for me. Also... I pulled off a slight original and criticized the Kirche/Louise family rivalry.**


End file.
